Drama Review: ‘Cheese In The Trap’ Started Off With A Bang, But Fizzled Out At The End

“Cheese in the Trap” delivered an open-ended conclusion that rendered both viewers and critics speechless. The tvN series careened to a halting stop with its 16th episode, which was rife with makjang or over-the-top plot devices including attempted manslaughter and involuntary confinement in a mental institution.

The once refreshing tale of college life as told through the perspective of Hong Seol (Kim Go Eun) and Yoo Jung (Park Hae Jin), morphed into a drama that demonized Baek In Ha (Lee Sung Kyung), while elevating Baek In Ho (Seo Kang Joon). The following sentences contain spoilers for the finale. The episode opened with Seol facing perilous danger after In Ha pushed her towards oncoming traffic. She is hit by a car, propelling the plot into the contrived, Korean drama territory. Jung argues with In Ho while threatening to kill In Ha if Seol does not emerge from a coma. His corporate drone father steps in to offer financial compensation to Seol’s family, while admonishing his son for dating her, in the first place. As the episode progresses, Seol miraculously pulls through but only to be dumped by Jung. To add insult to injury, the heroine of the popular webtoon is not given a happy ending nor is she provided with another love interest The series fizzles out with Seol working in the corporate setting, in scenes that harken to the beloved drama, “Misaeng.” She narrates the final minutes through a voice-over while writing an email. Seol and Jung share a ships-passing-in-the-night moment, while walking down the street, but are not given an opportunity for conflict resolution. The twins are provided with the best scenarios, with In Ha discovering love and In Ho reemerging as a piano prodigy, with his hand miraculously cured. While the drama may not have delivered the happy scenes audiences were wishing for, episode 16 recorded ratings that were consistent with its previous numbers. According to Nielsen Korea, the March 1 episode of “Cheese in the Trap” garnered 6.9 percent in nationwide cable viewership, the second highest ratings of its run. What are your thoughts on the conclusion of “Cheese in the Trap?” Comment below.